Found Deceased VA - Morgan Dana Harrington, 20, Charlottesville, 17 Oct 2009 - #15

[Harmony 2]

Good detailed article:

http://www.readthehook.com/blog/ind...irfax-case-connection-offers-hope-fresh-fear/

 

[colette]

Really great article, thanks Harmony 2.

A few things stand out, the rape victim was brutally beaten and strangled until she passed out. Someone passing by most likely saved her life and scared the killer away. He learned from this and took Morgan from the area.


from the article...
The Tee shirt "discovered in mid-November on a bush outside an apartment building at the corner of Grady Avenue and Fifteenth Street, would provide a bizarre twist in an already confusing case.
In April, five months after its discovery, police announced that forensic evidence revealed that the Pantera t-shirt— which some believed was a lookalike shirt placed by someone unrelated to the case as a twisted joke— did, in fact, belong to Morgan. That forensic evidence, says Barfield, was most likely DNA— and, he says, a likely source for the match with the Fairfax case since extracting an assailant’s DNA evidence from Morgan’s decomposed remains, which were exposed to the elements for three months, would have been very difficult."
He must have kept the tee shirt for awhile, then put it or threw it on the bush. Weird.

 

[Walker]

Really great article, thanks Harmony 2.

A few things stand out, the rape victim was brutally beaten and strangled until she passed out. Someone passing by most likely saved her life and scared the killer away. He learned from this and took Morgan from the area.


from the article...
The Tee shirt "discovered in mid-November on a bush outside an apartment building at the corner of Grady Avenue and Fifteenth Street, would provide a bizarre twist in an already confusing case.
In April, five months after its discovery, police announced that forensic evidence revealed that the Pantera t-shirt— which some believed was a lookalike shirt placed by someone unrelated to the case as a twisted joke— did, in fact, belong to Morgan. That forensic evidence, says Barfield, was most likely DNA— and, he says, a likely source for the match with the Fairfax case since extracting an assailant’s DNA evidence from Morgan’s decomposed remains, which were exposed to the elements for three months, would have been very difficult."
He must have kept the tee shirt for awhile, then put it or threw it on the bush. Weird.

Barclay is only speculating here; though his insights are useful.

If the DNA came from the tee shirt, some person(s) may be trying to frame this suspect. The true perps would then have to know the suspect and his criminal history. They may be members of a gang.

The victim in the first case was foreign.

Jenkins says her son returned with a man and a woman who comforted the victim, and the three communicated in what she believes was Urdu— a language primarily spoken by Muslims in India and Pakistan. The young woman “felt more comfortable speaking in her language,” says Jenkins, who says she never saw the young woman again but heard she had moved in with family somewhere nearby.

Could she be absolutely sure that the perp was an African-American, as opposed to a person of African appearance from some other country? Sometimes immigrants are preyed upon by criminals of similar background.

Forcing MH into a car would be difficult for one person acting alone esp. on a busy college campus with lots of security cameras. And, unless he were somehow able to quickly restrain her, he would not have been able keep her in the car while he drove.

The tee shirt incident would be easier for a group than an individual. For some reason, the true killer believed that none of his DNA could possibly be on that tee. This fact suggests that there may have been more than one location and perhaps at least two individuals and/or groups acting separately.

 

[Truthful Lies]

Really great article, thanks Harmony 2.

Respectfully snipped by me for length

That forensic evidence, says Barfield, was most likely DNA— and, he says, a likely source for the match with the Fairfax case since extracting an assailant’s DNA evidence from Morgan’s decomposed remains, which were exposed to the elements for three months, would have been very difficult."
BBM He must have kept the tee shirt for awhile, then put it or threw it on the bush. Weird.

Most serial killers keep some memento..wonder if he was just starting out, or there are other mementos he kept. Some also like "attention". Why not throw it in a trash bag and then throw it in the dumpster? He wanted it found.

ETA: Thanks for thinking of this Colette! I forgot to thank you!

 

[Truthful Lies]

Barclay is only speculating here; though his insights are useful.

If the DNA came from the tee shirt, some person(s) may be trying to frame this suspect. The true perps would then have to know the suspect and his criminal history. They may be members of a gang.

The victim in the first case was foreign.




Could she be absolutely sure that the perp was an African-American, as opposed to a person of African appearance from some other country? Sometimes immigrants are preyed upon by criminals of similar background.

Forcing MH into a car would be difficult for one person acting alone esp. on a busy college campus with lots of security cameras. And, unless he were somehow able to quickly restrain her, he would not have been able keep her in the car while he drove.

The tee shirt incident would be easier for a group than an individual. For some reason, the true killer believed that none of his DNA could possibly be on that tee. This fact suggests that there may have been more than one location and perhaps at least two individuals and/or groups acting separately.

Hm. Now that you mention Muslim....I doubt it could be an "Honor" thing...maybe a devout Muslim thought she "deserved this"? Just an idea. Could be a religious fanatic. Could have targeted Morgan because of what she was wearing? Just an idea.

 

[ThePhantom]

I just think he's a predator -- a savage, barbaric animal posing as a "human being." I think he's the classic sociopath, and he hunts for prey for sexual gratification. Part of his gratification is torturing and murdering. The same way he visciously assaulted the young woman in Fairfax, which is not, by the way, an isolated area by any means. He was swift, cunning, watchful, stalking his conquest and then seizing the opportunity. But it was a close call, he was chased I think. He got away with it, though, and continued on the hunt. I think when it comes to the mind of someone like this, the impulse arises, and there is no control. The hunt begins in earnest again, and there are so many, many opportunities -- so many young woman, just naive enough, or possibly drunk/high enough to believe they can safely walk from point A to point B. So many young women strolling along in the dark -- in a beach town or a resort or a college area, with a false sense of security that no bad people are lurking. It's a numbers game -- X number of bad people lurking at any given time, totally lacking in any moral compass, either because they were never raised with one, were born without one, or had one but decided it was more gratifying to take advantage of other people to satisfy themselves. How many young women, and even young men are out there, who have been warned by parents time and again, "don't go anywhere alone at night/don't go out of a bar alone/don't drink/get high/don't trust strangers/don't think you are immune to being attacked." Young people and even some older don't grasp the idea that there are more than a few very, very sick and in some cases authentically evil people in our world, who are just waiting for that one opportunity to attack, abduct, murder. It is a hard concept to grasp, but it is an ugly reality. And the next time someone starts telling you that you're blowing this notion out of proportion, just start at the top: Natalee Holloway, the two young ladies in California, Morgan, Britannee (sp), Alicia S., and so many more -- this is not just a once in a while thing, these are tragedies that are occurring on a regular basis. And I'm sure there are many more injuries and assaults not resulting in death that occur. As for Morgan's T shirt? I think throwing it in the bushes for all to see as he was moving on to new hunting grounds, was the perpetrator's way of saying to the police, and to the public, "screw you, I can do what I want, and to hell with Morgan too."

 

[colette]

The rape victim was walking with grocery bags in her arms, making her more of a target. She was swiftly attacked from behind and drug to the rape site. She was beaten and choked. It was a fast ambush, one person did it. One person could have done this to Morgan just as easily.

The tee shirt might have been left in an area where a loved one or girlfriend passes by. It was near an apartment complex. I think the killer left it there, but really didn't think it would be tied back to him. The rape was 5 years ago, many rape kits are never tested. He thought he was in the clear on that one. Plus he probably didn't think the tee would make it to LE hands.

 

[Harmony 2]

Most serial killers keep some memento..wonder if he was just starting out, or there are other mementos he kept. Some also like "attention". Why not throw it in a trash bag and then throw it in the dumpster? He wanted it found.

ETA: Thanks for thinking of this Colette! I forgot to thank you!

It appears his MO is to attack women at random who are out on a secluded area and incapacitated in some way (carrying groceries, inebriated) and not so much on the prowl for a certain look or feature like Ted Bundy preferred...

I agree he wanted it found.... There is a dumpster across the street from the bush where the t-shirt was found...

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...51&ll=38.039946,-78.49751&spn=0,0.001316&z=20

enter Grady Ave & 15th St NW, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903 on google maps

and take the little yellow guy down to the street and take a look around...

 

[Varvaros]

Interesting to note that the RSO I emailed VSP about is now listed as INCARCERATED. He was listed as ON PROBABTION/PAROLE a few days ago...

 

[burbqueen]

after all the conspiracy theories finally some sort of a clue to who did this. I've said all along that this was just a random attack to poor MH that was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I never believed it was some ex boyfriend or stalker. Just a plain old serial killer/rapist.

The guy looks AA to me or mixed with something latin.I dont see arabic or know of any serial arabic rapists who assault women due to their clothing. Just a plain old violent offender. Probably an ex-con. He's hiding IMO. he probably does live in a town nearby or travels around in that area.

 

[LadyBug99]

The problem with DNA is that it is so easy to frame someone. The real perp(s) could just follow any individual whom they know has a history, and then take some item he has discarded (like a can of soda), and plant the DNA from it at the scene. If the DNA came from the tee shirt, one wonders how the perp was smart enough to know about cell pings, but would deliberately place the tee where it could be found? But, even if he is being framed, this individual might still know something valuable to the case. The 2005 crime might have been a gang initiation.

The average age of gang members is 14 to 21 years of age. Gang initiations usually start in the middle school where the age group is between 10 and 13....

 

[pittsburghgirl]

I don't think planting DNA is that easy. You can't just look at something and "know" what DNA is on it. Old cigarette butts, cups, etc., might be obvious sources of DNA but not necessarily clothing. How would the framer be sure that he or she wasn't leaving DNA or other forensic evidence like prints or fibers or hair? Or in the video camera era, he or she wouldn't be seen on a security camera?

 

[Hoosll]

My thought was that the t-shirt was placed there to draw attention to the POI, perhaps a friend/girlfriend found the shirt and then left it outside hoping to draw attention to the neighborhood or building ... nothing happens for MONTHS ... POI leaves town ... neighbors were not even questioned until AFTER body was found ... This could have been the work of someone saying "LOOK HERE!!!" They may have been afraid to call the tip line ...

That's why I want to know what other things of MH's are missing and what LE is doing to find them.

The other side of the coin, I traveled 29S this last weekend and there are so many places that you could dump a body from the side of the road and it would never be found ... why did he leave it uncovered in a field but also well away from the highway, was it a ritual display? Was the t-shirt a ritual display? Were other clues left around and never spotted?

 

[colette]

I still think that the perp left it for a "loved one" to see when they went in or out the apartment complex. It's like the serial killer that gives his girlfriend jewelry or other items from his victims. Or killers that call girlfriends or mother after the crime, they want that connection there somehow.

I say look close to who lives in that complex, there is a connection.

 

[Walker]

I don't think planting DNA is that easy. You can't just look at something and "know" what DNA is on it. Old cigarette butts, cups, etc., might be obvious sources of DNA but not necessarily clothing.

All it takes is one hair, for example.

How would the framer be sure that he or she wasn't leaving DNA or other forensic evidence like prints or fibers or hair?

The framers would have to have a clean record, else they would risk implicating themselves.

Or in the video camera era, he or she wouldn't be seen on a security camera?

Maybe the framers would have had professional experience with cameras, surveillance, personal security, camera detection or use of other types of technology.

 

[Walker]

A very high percentage of violent serial killers have family members who have been incarcerated for violent crime.

[Note that the following article about the "Grim Sleeper," although very well-written and detailed, contains advertising which some people may find objectionable. ]

http://www.laweekly.com/2008-08-28/news/grim-sleeper/3

So Los Angeles police are hoping the Grim Sleeper has a brother, father or cousin in prison. Experts believe that roughly 40 percent of violent criminals have close relatives in jail. If the Grim Sleeper’s “familial” DNA popped up in a survey of the state offender’s database of more than 1 million DNA profiles, the L.A. killer might finally be identified by family name.

This procedure is somewhat controversial, since some people see it as a violation of the family's privacy.


The "Grim Sleeper" was caught using this method.

http://www.pe.com/ap_news/California/US_Grim_Sleeper_Killings_509490C.shtml

A one-time police mechanic was arrested and charged Wednesday in the serial killing of 10 people over 25 years after a DNA sample from his son was found to bear a close resemblance to DNA found on the victims.

Lonnie Franklin Jr., 57, was charged with 10 counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and special circumstance allegations of multiple murders that could make him eligible for the death penalty if convicted, District Attorney Steve Cooley said.

"Today is a good day," Donnell Alexander, the brother of victim Monique Alexander, said as he watched police activity outside the South Los Angeles house where the arrest was made earlier in the day.

Detectives have spent years investigating slayings between 1985 and 2007 in which the killer targeted young black women and one man. The attacker was dubbed the "Grim Sleeper" because he apparently took a 14-year hiatus from his crimes, from 1988 to 2002.

The break in the case came after Franklin's son was arrested and swabbed for DNA, said Alexander, who was given a briefing on the case by robbery-homicide detectives.

If they can get a name, they may be able to find the suspect.

 

[LLLindsayy]

No connection between Pham, Harrington murders
July 7, 2010 - 2:17pm

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - As Fairfax County Police conduct a wide search to find Vanessa Pham's killer, investigators have ruled out any connection to the murder of Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington and to another unsolved, 2005 sexual assault.

"We have found no connection to those two cases," says Fairfax County Officer Don Gotthardt.

More at link...
http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=25&sid=1997259

 

[LLLindsayy]

Police getting tips in Harrington death
By Uriah A. Kiser
Published: July 8, 2010
Updated: July 8, 2010

FAIRFAX, Va.—The phones have been ringing at the Virginia State Police office since investigators linked the abduction and sex assault of a woman in Fairfax and the death of a Virginia Tech student.

Investigators last week said newly discovered forensic evidence linked the death of 20-year-old Morgan Harrington, who disappeared from a Metallica concert at University of Virginia in October, to the case of a 26-year-old woman who was abducted and raped while walking home to her apartment complex on Jermantown Road in 2005.

More at link...
http://www2.insidenova.com/isn/news/local/article/police_getting_tips_in_harrington_death/60346/

 

[LLLindsayy]

This quote,

Investigators are also mum on what piece of forensic evidence links the two cases, though they did say the evidence—which they didn't have following the sex assault in 2005—allowed them to create a sketch of the suspect in the Fairfax case and subsequently the Harrington case

from the link I just posted, puzzles me. Are they saying that evidence they gathered from Morgan's case allowed them to create this sketch? I could be reading this wrong, but they say it wasn't the evidence from the Fairfax case. Maybe I'm reading too much into it.

 

[JLMcKenna83]

I wonder if LE took the sketch around to the apartments where the t-shirt was found...